The Ramblings of a Madman?

[Ewan]

Now and then as I awaken I find myself just watching a stream of thoughts go by, often they appear as a story, invariably I can't resist adding to it like the co-director of a play. Sometimes I even end up laughing my head off with the crazy turns and twists that appear. It's a great way to wake up, laughing, but I have to consider the possibility that I might be crazy. Always worth keeping at the back of one's mind as a kind of safety check.

I thought I should share such a tale from just this morning. It's been edited to be more condensed, it went on for a long time. Hopefully I have not lost the meaning.

Listen to madmen long enough and you'll begin to realise they are talking sense ~anon

A Story about Sheeple.

(Observation: The only people I've noticed using the derogatory term sheeple are from the very same collective they apparently delight in scorning).

So, once upon a time - all good stories begin such, or so I am told - there was a field of sheeple. It wasn't an isolated field, it was surrounded by other, equally notable, fields. For the inhabitants of said field though it was pretty much the centre of the known world and there really wasn't much else out there anyway.

Unlike sheep, who were a herd animal, sheeple liked their own space with certain periods devoted to mingling. As a consequence, over time, the field had been divided into zones. Not visible one, there were no lines or borders, just unspoken agreements had developed. These zones, I'll give them assignations so it easier to follow, there was four corner zones A, B, C & D. Four edge zones N, E, W & S, and the large centre zone where the majority tended to stick to, more mingling and less isolation. Those central sheeple, well they didn't really know anything beyond their self-imposed boundaries but the edge sheeple and the corner sheeple were faced every day with the fact that there was another world over there, over that dry stone wall. From time to time they could hear other sheeple and the two-legged sometimes walked along the western boundary scaring the crap out of everyone. What was that thing anyway, and how did it move that way with it's front legs just swinging about uselessly?

Whilst the sheeple in Zones W, B and C could hear sheeple they couldn't see them, being so close to the - what was it grandma called it again, yes, that's it, the 'Great Wall of Farmer'. She had said it with such reverence too. The sheeple in Zone E and Zones A & D however, couldn't hear¹ them but they sure could see them. I mean there was a bloody hill rising up from beyond that great wall thingy and stretching up to the very skies above, it was kind of hard to miss them.

Now as to these sheeple that lived in hill paddock, from the centre of their world they could pretty much see that every direction was down, and if you spend your life looking down on others your apt to develop a rather superior sense of being^x. Literally everything is beneath you. I guess what I'm trying to explain is the sheeple of Hill Paddock were mentally unstable. They thought they were the true sheeple and all others were insignificant and they got to scheming and plotting on how they could rule over all the little sheeple they could see from their lands. From time to time a chosen bleater would wander down to a point near the wall and just start bleating loudly over the wall. The zone sheeple that lived along that wall, B, W & and C if you remember, were quite disturbed by this and bleated back and forth. This message didn't seem right, it didn't fit their view, after all they could see some of the outside world also, admittedly not much and there might be some guesswork thrown in. There was a ruddy great hole in the northern wall with bars across it, you could see straight through it, to provide just one example.

Nevertheless the elected bleater bleated on an on and the commotion caused more and more central zone sheeple to wander that way to see what the fuss was about, and they, upon hearing these bleated proclamations began to nod their heads in agreement. Why of course that made sense, and that must be the way things are. After all it was far easier to be told the answers rather than looking for them yourself, I mean who has time for that! The edge and corner zone sheep tried to warn them of caution, shaking their heads. 'Something not right' they bleated but they were soon told to be quiet by the central sheep as they wanted to listen to this wise voice from across the wall whilst they happily chewed away. The centre sheeple, with all this new found wisdom, took to calling the outer zone sheep 'The Fringe' and they didn't think much of them any more beyond that.

Whilst all this was going on the Zone A sheeple had wandered far south of his usual limits and happened to bump into the Zone D sheeple who had likewise wandered far north. What a marvelous coincidence for this tale! As they lay down to chew the cud Zone E sheeple peered over his glasses at them and thought how bloody rude they were to lie down in his living room without so much as a please and thank you.

By the by² A & D discovered they had much in common and, seemingly, much to disagree over. They had both seen the same things but had different explanations and it was touch and go whether they were going to make it through this difference of opinion when fortune struck.
"You mean horns!" exclaimed A
"What?" replied D
"Horns", A went on, enthusiatically now, "That's what my granny told me, she said 'watch out for their horns' and how once they had all lived in the same field together".
"Pff, I never listened to my granny, always on about the old days!" D bleated with humour.
"But we can agree they have four legs, mostly black with white splotches, three times our size and have things sticking out of their heads whether they are knobs or horns³ it sounds like we're talking about the same thing!"
And the light dawned. D agreed and they became like brothers. They shared common beliefs. But still they could never get through to the central zone sheeple who already knew all truth from the source beyond, or the media as Zone C sheeple had once derisively called them, though he had no idea where he had heard that term before. Little did he know that the voice of the 'media' was just one sheeple who had been chosen by the goat⁴ at the top of the hill who surveyed all around him with contempt as he plotted and schemed.

And I'll leave it there, though I could have gone on much longer. I'm sure you all want to know how I am so informed as to relay this story to you. Well I used to live in that very field I have just described but one morning I was scared out of my wits by a passing kitsune⁵ and found I had leapt clear on top of the wall⁶. I surveyed all around with wonder, nothing looked the same. Familar, but different and then I spotted it! A ladder, a ladder reaching up to the clouds and seemingly disappearing beyond. I stood at the foot of that ladder for what seemed like the longest time, well it was the longest time actually, no seemed about it. I didn't know how to climb! Not true, the truth was I was scared to climb, I didn't know what might be up there. Eventually though, I reached out a hand⁷ and stepped on to the first rung. With each step I took my vision opened up and I sensed the world I had known fading behind me. I grew dizzy and clung to the ladder in fear I would fall. Upon opening my eyes again I chanced to glance down, there was the world I had know, a mere 8 rungs below me. It seemed a realm of madness to me now. I glanced up, the clouds seemed as far away as ever. Then I spotted someone above, I shouted but they did not hear. Gritting my teeth I ascended a few more rungs and shouted again. They looked down. 'Hi' they waved. 'You're doing great, just a little further'.

I just realised, the person above took a hand off the ladder to wave. I glanced at my own knuckles and they were white, so tightly was I holding on.
"You don't need it you know." came the voice from above me. I looked up again.
"It's just a prop, to get you started if you like." and with that pronouncement they let go of the ladder and flew around it a little before latching back on.
I actually tightened my grip, like hell was I going to be fooled. I was NOT letting go.
"It's a symbol. It symbolises that which you are fearful to leave behind, and the struggle that lies ahead."
I felt like shouting back I was fearful I would fall off and what was left behind would be reached with terminal velocity if I loosened just one finger. Esoteric explanations never make their way past fear.
I looked up at the person, smiling and waving me up. There was a long way to go, so much could go wrong. Pitfalls, traps, snakes⁸, a woman offering me her body an apple.
"I've just remebered I forgot something". I yelled up.
They looked sad.
"Don't succumb. There is nothing that world can offer you now but sadness".

"That'll do!" and I started the descent back into madness. But they were right, this world now holds no allure but fleeting promises quickly turned to dust. Illusions. Smoke and mirrors. I hold on to a memory of dawning sanity whilst trying to stay aloof from the madness that surrounds. I know the ladder is there, and all I have to do is climb. I guess I'm just not ready - but I can tell you this life I live, on the first rung of the ladder is not at all a pleasant one. Caught between worlds, not wanting to go back, fearful to go ahead. How much longer?

And at some point I blacked out, the world faded away and there was nothing but black. Then light, everywhere was light - so bright. And people hugging me and much joy was had and teachings, oh the teachings. And that was my past life, oh that didn't look good. I caused that, *hit! I had no idea they felt like that. How was I supposed to know? That world was bat*hit crazy, its an asylum. I am NOT going back there!

And then blackness again, dark but warmth, a rhythmic beat surrounds me, warmth and comfort. Wait! What's happening, pressure, pushing me, I'm being squeezed, pushed and then I see pinkness⁹ instead of black. And omg that's cold! I want back in the warmth! Wa!wa!Waaaaa!

A voice. 'There you go Helen, a beautiful, healthy baby girl'
WHAT!!!
Then soft warmth to front, behind still cold. A blanket chases away that cold. An arm cradles me. Security. A fleshy pillow, sniff, sniff. What's that? Oh a dispenser of some kind. Mmm food, delicious. Oh this is nice. Food and warmth, arms around me, what more could you want. This is paradise, I think I'm going to like it here........

-----------The End-----------------

1/ Yes, yes. I know you can hear a sheep a mile away in our world, but this is sheeple-land. You never heard of selective hearing? Its fantasy! (The story, not selective hearing).

2/ Archaic. I don't know what it means either but pretty sure that is the right context and it saves me from endlessly repeating 'meanwhile'.

3/ Yes some sheeple have horns, this lot don't - before you start!

4/ That's another story. 'The Evil Goat' story, why is it always a goat?

5/ It was a fox, but one described with an extremely vivid imagination by japanese teenagers with too much imagination (and hormones).

6/ I wanted to say the moon but that would have been a bit far fetched. Everyone already knows it was a cow - with knobs on.

7/ Clearly I had changed beyond recognition, and, anyway, you try climbing a ladder with hooves!

8/ Come on, that was good! Snakes and ladders?

9/ Best understood by staring at the sun with your eyes closed. That pinkness.

x/ Except for Eagles, Condors, Albatross etc. They have risen so far above the world they merely observe it without judgement. (Try telling that to the rabbit, fish etc. who's last thought was 'What the fu..... - Hey, they never left the planet, they still get hungry now and again. They just know it doesn't matter).

[Nasu]

Domesticated sheep come from mountain sheep, an incredible animal. Inside all us sheeple is a mountain sheep. So it is that flowers bloom from manure. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king……x….. N

[shaberon]

Interesting vision if not slightly peculiar.

Also, I rarely use "sheeple", mostly just "sheep", being a military expression, opposite of "wolf".

I have no idea who said "goats are evil", this is patent silliness. In fact, they are the best! Plenty of other animals are pure destructive filth, like chickens. But they can all be psychologized one way or the other. There are some un-domesticable species, and even the "sheep" thing may be a bit unfair, since this is mostly represented by a small or old animal being taken down by the whole wolf pack. But you can raise the red and gray wolves to be fairly tame. Probably not the Siberian timber wolf.

I would tend to agree that the world of sheep-like people has nothing to offer.

[Vangelo]

Thank you for sharing this waking dream ('waking dream' means a dream you experience while you are awake as opposed to asleep). For me, the symbolism embedded in your dream is amazing. I see it as a very hopeful dream that describes the current world we are in as a dystopian place (similar to animal farm) that we can escape from and be reborn.

I'd be interested in hearing other folks interpretation of this dream...

[Matthew]

As a Christian I am part of the original sheeple. These new upstarts have nothing on us.

I liked the story! P̷la҉to̷'s Ca҉v̷e̷ Ewan's Sheeple

[Ewan]

Posted by shaberon (here)
Interesting vision if not slightly peculiar.

Also, I rarely use "sheeple", mostly just "sheep", being a military expression, opposite of "wolf".

I have no idea who said "goats are evil", this is patent silliness. In fact, they are the best! Plenty of other animals are pure destructive filth, like chickens. But they can all be psychologized one way or the other. There are some un-domesticable species, and even the "sheep" thing may be a bit unfair, since this is mostly represented by a small or old animal being taken down by the whole wolf pack. But you can raise the red and gray wolves to be fairly tame. Probably not the Siberian timber wolf.

I would tend to agree that the world of sheep-like people has nothing to offer.

It was a reference to the quantity of art showing depictions of the devil as having the legs and head of a goat.

[Mike Gorman]

Like yourself, I don't like this derogatory term Sheeple, I prefer the 'Normie' label, it is more accurate, while I encounter plenty of conformists and conventional types I am often surprised with how aware ostensibly 'Sheeple' can be, they are more indifferent than ignorant, more lazy than those of us who feel disconcerted by suburban life-styles. I have met plenty of academically gifted types who prefer to lead unremarkable lives, a median good job, family life and keeping a low profile. Normie covers it I think, but I think we need to be careful how we judge other people, this is a precarious thing, I have often been proven wrong, so I tend to judge much less severely in my older age. Your story reveals a very active, intelligent imagination, nothing 'mad' about this.